Accordion or folding-type movable partitions are utilized in numerous situations and environments for a variety of purposes. Such a movable partition may include laterally adjacent sheets, each including a plurality of panels connected to one another with hinges. The hinged connection of the panels allows the partition to fold and collapse into a compact unit for purposes of storage when not deployed. The partition may be stored in a pocket formed in the wall of a building when in a retracted or folded state. When the partition is deployed to subdivide a single large room into multiple smaller rooms, secure an area during a fire, or for any other specified reason, the partition may be extended along an overhead track, which is often located above the partition in a header assembly, until the partition extends a desired distance across the room.
Automatic extension and retraction of the movable partition may be accomplished through the use of a motor located in a pocket formed in a wall of a building in which the movable partition is stored when in a retracted or folded state. The motor, which remains fixed in place within the pocket, may be used to drive extension and retraction of the movable partition. A motor for automatically extending and retracting a movable partition may also be mounted within the movable partition itself, such that the motor travels with the movable partition as the movable partition is extended and retracted using the motor.
The movable partitions may also include various actuation devices or switches to assist in control thereof. Such actuation devices or switches may be electrically connected to control circuitry for the partition. For example, a button switch may be provided on a movable partition, and the button switch may be configured such that, if the button switch is depressed while the movable partition is automatically closing (e.g., in the event of a fire), the movable partition will momentarily cease movement before attempting to close again, or the button may be configured to cause the direction of movement of the partition to reverse (e.g., open) for a predetermined time or distance before attempting to automatically close again.
FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a movable partition system 100 that includes actuation devices. The movable partition system 100 is an automatic movable partition system, in that the system 100 includes a movable partition 102 that may be automatically extended, automatically retracted, or both automatically extended and automatically retracted. The movable partition system 100 may comprise a motor (not shown) for driving movement of the movable partition 102 between the extended and retracted states. The movable partition 102 may be an accordion-type door that includes laterally spaced sheets of panels 104. A lead post 108 may be attached to a leading end 109 of the one or more sheets of panels 104. At least some of the panels 104 are indirectly connected to one or more adjacent panels 104 in the sheet of panels 104 by way of hinge members 106, which are disposed therebetween. The movable partition 102 may further include one or more actuation devices, such as a rocker switch 122 and a button switch 124, which may be configured to control movement of the movable partition 102.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a lateral end of a first panel 104A may be indirectly connected to a first lateral end of a second panel 104B by the hinge member 106. The panels 104 in each of the laterally spaced sheets 103A and 103B are connected to one another in such a manner as to allow the panels to fold back-and-forth relative to one another in accordion fashion, which allows the movable partition 102 to collapse as the movable partition 102 is retracted (i.e., opened). Thus, the movable partition 102 may be compactly stored in a pocket 110 formed in a wall 112 (see also FIG. 1A) of a structure when the movable partition 102 is in the retracted state (i.e., collapsed and folded).
The rocker switch 122 may be mounted on the lead post 108 of the movable partition 102 such that it is readily accessible to a person when the movable partition 102 is in either the retracted state or an extended state. The rocker switch 122 may comprise a three position switch. In a neutral, middle position, the rocker switch 122 will not cause any movement of the movable partition 102. When the rocker switch 122 is rocked to one side of the neutral, middle position, the rocker switch 122 may cause (in conjunction with the motor and other components of the system) the movable partition 102 to extend (i.e., close). Similarly, when the rocker switch 122 is rocked to the opposite side of the neutral, middle position, the rocker switch 122 may cause the movable partition 102 to retract (i.e., open). Often, the rocker switch 122 may comprise a key lock device, such that the rocker switch 122 may only be operated when with the key lock has been unlocked using a key. If the key lock is not in the unlocked position, the rocker switch 122 may be locked in the neutral, middle position such that the movable partition 102 may not be opened or closed.
When the movable partition 102 is used as a safety door or a fire door, the movable partition 102 may be configured to automatically close upon detection of a fire (i.e., upon actuation of a fire alarm). The button switch 124 may be employed as what is often referred to in the art as “panic hardware.” In the event that the movable partition 102 is automatically closing (or has automatically closed) and a person seeks to temporarily stop the movable partition 102 from closing (or to momentarily open the movable partition 102), actuation of the button switch 124 may cause the movable partition 102 to open if it is closed, or to stop while it is closing, thereby enabling an individual located on one side of the movable partition 102 to pass from one side of the movable partition 102 to the other.
In the closed position, the panels 104 of the movable partition 102 are in close proximity with one another to reduce the longitudinal depth of the movable partition 102 for compact storage in the pocket 110. The button switch 124 may be disposed or mounted on a hinge member 106 of the movable partition 102 to provide access to the button switch 124 during operation of the movable partition 102.
The button switch 124 (and the rocker switch 122) are positioned on surfaces of the movable partition 102 near the leading edge 109 such that they are susceptible to damage or destruction during operation and storage of the movable partition 102. When the movable partition 102 is moved in and out of the storage pocket 110 between the extended and retracted states, elements of the button switch 124 may catch on edges of the adjacent walls defining the pocket 110, and may be bent or detached from the movable partition 102.